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and testing the NIKE-ZEUS anti-missile missile weapons system.
Sy
placing responsibility on the Army tc provide certain future hish altitude
testinc support at Johnston Island, the U. S. will have a capability
for early testing on relatively short notice and at considerable savings
to the DOD in forces and dollar commitments.
As an example, the Army
could provide certain housekeeping and missile launching facilities
which they would already have in place.
Point to point communication
requirements can be included as a part of the Pacific Missile Rance
(Johnston Island) system.
The end result would be a need for relatively
small Test Support Organization durinre 4n operation, thus cutting
orzanizational lead time.
d.
Open Sea Hizh Altitude Tests.
The ARGUS series demonstrated the
feasibility of limited high altitude testing from afloat.
This concept
is limited in the sense hat the carrier must have a hich initial ace
celeration to reduce stability problems during launching.
this
At present,
type testing is limited to low yield devices because solid fuel
rockets with relatively small liftin- crwability must be used as carriers.
It has the additional disadventage of requiring relatively larse naval
forces.
Its advantages are mobility (Scientifically and operationally
desirable) and security.
In any case the lead times required to prepare
orsanizationally are within technical and logistical lead times and
therefore this type of operation presents no difficulties to our "test
when ready" concept.
though this study is limited primarily to high
altitude testing because of the moretorium situation, 1t is significant
to point out that a “test when ready" concept which includes a test